Bon Jovi's 2013 tour includes area dates

Quick hits

Roar on the Shore doesn't hit the floor running until next summer, but the time is now for local bands to spring into action if they want to play the event. Roar is taking applications for its RocktheRoar contest, held on the event's Facebook page. Photos of qualifying bands will be posted on the site. Fans vote for a favorite group by "liking" the band's photo. The top three vote-getters will open for Roar on the Shore headliners in Perry Square from July 18 to 20. Winners will be announced on WRKT-FM/Rocket 101 in February. But the process starts by applying. For rules and applications, see www.roarontheshore.com. The 2011 winners were Chrome, Leader of Men and Drunk in Memphis. Monday is the deadline for reservations for "With Bells On," the holiday show by cabaret singer Alice Frazier set for Dec. 3 at St. James Place, 2622 Buffalo Road. Frazier will be accompanied by music director Don Rebic on holiday songs, plus material from her 2013 Manhattan show. Tickets are $43 (with buffet) or $20 (show only). For tickets, call 504-2480 or visit www.alicefrazier.com. Train is nominated for Favorite Group in the 2013 People's Choice Awards, but faces stiff competition. Green Day, Maroon 5, Linkin Park and No Doubt are also nominated. Vote at www.peopleschoice.com. Winners will be announced on the show on Jan. 9 on WSEE-TV. Train just issued "Bruises" as its third single and video from "California 37." Ashley Monroe duets with Pat Monahan. Congratulations to From the Ashes for making the finals of Sardonyx Productions' High School Rock Challenge 2012. The band will compete for a multitude of prizes, including studio time, a professional photo shoot and weekend mini-tour, on Dec. 2 at the Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh. Other finalists include the Options, Restricted Highwsays, Half n Half and Wendigo. For more details, log onto www.sardonyxproductions.com.

richardsdERIE TIMES-NEWS

Big days loom for Bon Jovi fans.

The band just announced a 2013 tour that includes tour stops in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, "Bon Jovi Inside Out" -- a special, in-theater event -- plays Tuesday at Tinseltown at 8 p.m.

Let's start with the movie special, which includes split-screen concert footage of Bon Jovi playing a "dream set" of hits. The band was filmed at three different venues: London's The O2, Madison Square Garden in New York City and New Jersey's Meadowlands Stadium.

Tuesday's screening also includes a live broadcast from Times Square, where the band will talk about its tour and next studio album -- "What About Now" -- which will be released in the spring. They'll also take questions from fans. Tickets are $11.50.

Bon Jovi's 2013 concert tour -- dubbed Because We Can -- will visit Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center on Feb. 21 and Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena on March 9. Some shows go on sale Nov. 30. At press time, on-sale dates for the Erie-area shows had not been announced.

According to Billboard, Jon Bon Jovi aimed to keep ticket prices affordable. So, the tour will feature seven different prices in most markets, with more than 1,000 tickets priced at $19.50.

Crooked I has some shows to etch in stone in your datebook. What else is new, right? Big Leg Emma will usher in New Year's Eve with a special performance. It's opening set will include former member Amanda Barton, who plays violin and harmonizes like an angel with Charity Nuse.

For the second set, BLE will play nothing but Led Zeppelin songs, Americana style. It can be done! Ever hear "III?"

Christmas needn't be a silent night. Testify, a tribute to Rage Against the Machine, will play on Dec. 25. Preach Freedom celebrates the release of his fierce solo CD on Dec. 7; you know him from both One World Tribe and Big Leg Emma.

December also brings a CD release show by the Jargonauts (Dec. 22) and the return of both the Mallet Brothers (Dec. 8) and Aqueous (Dec. 29).

Something a bit more laid-back but no less cool arrives for blues-rock fans. Bill Wharton, aka the Sauce Boss, will play and cook his world-famous gumbo on Dec. 14.

Six bands will team at Whole Lotta Rock the Saga II on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Saga Club, 3828 Washington.

Progressive-metal band Sacred 13 headlines. Also on the bill: 86 to Nowhere, Kevlar, I Claim As Mine, Stage 5, the Ladder Coins and Eyes to the Sky. Collswa Ligthing will provide a full L.E.D. light show.

Tickets are $5 advance, $7 at the show. Search for the event page on Facebook.

It's been awhile since Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius rocked Erie, but that drought will end on Dec. 13. The band will play Sherlock's with Special Guest Band.

Deninzon's latest CD, "The Next World," is on Steve Vai's Digital Nations. If you think that's strange -- an electric violinist, signing with Vai -- you haven't heard Deninzon shred his instrument. The man plays like he's on fire.

Quick hits

Roar on the Shore doesn't hit the floor running until next summer, but the time is now for local bands to spring into action if they want to play the event. Roar is taking applications for its RocktheRoar contest, held on the event's Facebook page. Photos of qualifying bands will be posted on the site. Fans vote for a favorite group by "liking" the band's photo. The top three vote-getters will open for Roar on the Shore headliners in Perry Square from July 18 to 20. Winners will be announced on WRKT-FM/Rocket 101 in February. But the process starts by applying. For rules and applications, see www.roarontheshore.com. The 2011 winners were Chrome, Leader of Men and Drunk in Memphis. Monday is the deadline for reservations for "With Bells On," the holiday show by cabaret singer Alice Frazier set for Dec. 3 at St. James Place, 2622 Buffalo Road. Frazier will be accompanied by music director Don Rebic on holiday songs, plus material from her 2013 Manhattan show. Tickets are $43 (with buffet) or $20 (show only). For tickets, call 504-2480 or visit www.alicefrazier.com. Train is nominated for Favorite Group in the 2013 People's Choice Awards, but faces stiff competition. Green Day, Maroon 5, Linkin Park and No Doubt are also nominated. Vote at www.peopleschoice.com. Winners will be announced on the show on Jan. 9 on WSEE-TV. Train just issued "Bruises" as its third single and video from "California 37." Ashley Monroe duets with Pat Monahan. Congratulations to From the Ashes for making the finals of Sardonyx Productions' High School Rock Challenge 2012. The band will compete for a multitude of prizes, including studio time, a professional photo shoot and weekend mini-tour, on Dec. 2 at the Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh. Other finalists include the Options, Restricted Highwsays, Half n Half and Wendigo. For more details, log onto www.sardonyxproductions.com.